About the retreat LEADER Michelle Tiaga
information needed prior medicine ceremonies
Ceremony is an alchemical combination of Spiritual, physical, psychological, and instinctual responses that impress, in a balanced way, our holistic nature. When used in healing, ceremony honors all of us, reaching deeper than psychological analysis.
Sacred ceremony holds an intention to communicate to a higher self or spirit and creates an imprint deep in our psyches that positively affects our lives and evolution. The intentions of this many ceremonies: to go within to reunite with the reflection of the divinity of us all. During ceremony we will be working on many realms using tools for energetic realignment, positive affirmations, prayer, sound healing, song sharing. We desire to create a space for our hearts to open and our spirits to be lifted.
Ceremony is a powerful ritual that we are able to use to effect positive change in our lives. With the knowledge of what is known as “anchoring” in NLP (neural linguistic programming) we know that we have had many different experiences in our lives, some that have left positive imprints and some that have left negative imprints. These experiences we’ve had have left us anchored to different objects, people, places, and times and in fact we can sometimes become attached in a way that can feel we are “stuck” or “holding on”. When we have a difficult time moving on from negative anchors within ourselves Ceremony is something that can help us to “see the light” of our situation, condition, perspective, circumstances of those experiences and in effect let go of the negative imprint and move on with our lives in a holistic way (mind, body and spirit). With regards to anchoring, ceremony gives us an opportunity to anchor these past experiences to healing energy and thus integrate our lessons in a powerful and uplifting way.
Diet
To prepare the body: A clean and healthy diet will help the medicine do its work. The less physical poison it needs to purge, the more work it can do with you on higher levels. It's best to avoid and/or reduce the following in the days prior to the ceremony:
- Salt & Sugar
- Meat – especially red meat and pork
- Processed foods
- Fried, fatty, fermented & spicy foods.
- Aged cheese and dairy products.
- Onion & Garlic.
- Coffee, alcohol, cigarettes, or any other drugs at least 3-4 days prior to and immediately after the ceremony (including prescription drugs, recreational and all anti-depressants and psychotropics).
- Sexual energies for 3-4 days prior to, during and immediately after the ceremony.
*Please Note: We DO NOT recommend fasting or extreme dieting days before or the day of ceremony. Your body needs strength and nutrients. It is recommended to eat a healthy balance meal in the morning and something lighter before ceremony such as fruits or veggies. These guidelines are recommendations for eating clean and consciously several day or weeks before ceremony.
Steps to physically & emotionally prepare you for Ceremony:
Eat consciously in the few days prior to the ceremony, and try to stick with whole foods. Fruits and vegetables, rice and whole grains, and fresh juices are recommended. As always, drink plenty of water and get good sleep. Please eat HEALTHY the day of the ceremony. Eat lightly up until 4pm on the day of the ceremony.
To prepare the mind: For several days prior to the ceremony, avoid situations that generate negative emotions or stress. Practice calming the mind with meditation, journaling, yoga, Tai Chi, hot baths, etc. It's good to avoid television, bad movies and shopping malls... any of the myriad spiritual and psychic toxins of mass culture.
Bring to a close any work that remains unfinished and, if possible, resolve conflicts in your relationships so that your mind can be as free of these burdens and distractions as possible. Most people find that clearly setting intentions is extremely helpful. Consider carefully what you hope to learn from the experience. What are the areas of your life that need solutions? What kind of knowledge and healing are you seeking? Think honestly about your purpose for inviting medicine into you. Your intentions will help to guide you through the experience and can deepen and enrich your learning.
Prescription Medicine & Drugs
These drugs and medications may have a conflict and side effect when taken in conjunction with the Plant medicine. Use of these substances should be discontinued and sufficient clearance time should be allowed before ceremony. Please consult with organizers prior to ceremony if you have been taking anyprescription, over-the-counter or other recreational drugs. All information will be kept confidential and shared only with the medicine man for consultation and advice. Specifically, the following should be avoided for a minimum of 2 weeks:
I. Any medicine containing MAO inhibitors (neural enzyme monoamine oxidase) or SSRI's, i.e. antidepressants such as Prozac, Effexor, Zoloft, Wellbutrin, etc.
II. Sedatives, tranquilizers, antihistamines, narcotics, amphetamines, decongestants, allergy medications, cold medications, diet pills, asthma-inhalers, dopamine, carbamazipine, some antihypertensive medications, pseudoephedrine, and ephedrine.
III. Alcohol and Recreational Drugs.
Sacred ceremony holds an intention to communicate to a higher self or spirit and creates an imprint deep in our psyches that positively affects our lives and evolution. The intentions of this many ceremonies: to go within to reunite with the reflection of the divinity of us all. During ceremony we will be working on many realms using tools for energetic realignment, positive affirmations, prayer, sound healing, song sharing. We desire to create a space for our hearts to open and our spirits to be lifted.
Ceremony is a powerful ritual that we are able to use to effect positive change in our lives. With the knowledge of what is known as “anchoring” in NLP (neural linguistic programming) we know that we have had many different experiences in our lives, some that have left positive imprints and some that have left negative imprints. These experiences we’ve had have left us anchored to different objects, people, places, and times and in fact we can sometimes become attached in a way that can feel we are “stuck” or “holding on”. When we have a difficult time moving on from negative anchors within ourselves Ceremony is something that can help us to “see the light” of our situation, condition, perspective, circumstances of those experiences and in effect let go of the negative imprint and move on with our lives in a holistic way (mind, body and spirit). With regards to anchoring, ceremony gives us an opportunity to anchor these past experiences to healing energy and thus integrate our lessons in a powerful and uplifting way.
Diet
To prepare the body: A clean and healthy diet will help the medicine do its work. The less physical poison it needs to purge, the more work it can do with you on higher levels. It's best to avoid and/or reduce the following in the days prior to the ceremony:
- Salt & Sugar
- Meat – especially red meat and pork
- Processed foods
- Fried, fatty, fermented & spicy foods.
- Aged cheese and dairy products.
- Onion & Garlic.
- Coffee, alcohol, cigarettes, or any other drugs at least 3-4 days prior to and immediately after the ceremony (including prescription drugs, recreational and all anti-depressants and psychotropics).
- Sexual energies for 3-4 days prior to, during and immediately after the ceremony.
*Please Note: We DO NOT recommend fasting or extreme dieting days before or the day of ceremony. Your body needs strength and nutrients. It is recommended to eat a healthy balance meal in the morning and something lighter before ceremony such as fruits or veggies. These guidelines are recommendations for eating clean and consciously several day or weeks before ceremony.
Steps to physically & emotionally prepare you for Ceremony:
Eat consciously in the few days prior to the ceremony, and try to stick with whole foods. Fruits and vegetables, rice and whole grains, and fresh juices are recommended. As always, drink plenty of water and get good sleep. Please eat HEALTHY the day of the ceremony. Eat lightly up until 4pm on the day of the ceremony.
To prepare the mind: For several days prior to the ceremony, avoid situations that generate negative emotions or stress. Practice calming the mind with meditation, journaling, yoga, Tai Chi, hot baths, etc. It's good to avoid television, bad movies and shopping malls... any of the myriad spiritual and psychic toxins of mass culture.
Bring to a close any work that remains unfinished and, if possible, resolve conflicts in your relationships so that your mind can be as free of these burdens and distractions as possible. Most people find that clearly setting intentions is extremely helpful. Consider carefully what you hope to learn from the experience. What are the areas of your life that need solutions? What kind of knowledge and healing are you seeking? Think honestly about your purpose for inviting medicine into you. Your intentions will help to guide you through the experience and can deepen and enrich your learning.
Prescription Medicine & Drugs
These drugs and medications may have a conflict and side effect when taken in conjunction with the Plant medicine. Use of these substances should be discontinued and sufficient clearance time should be allowed before ceremony. Please consult with organizers prior to ceremony if you have been taking anyprescription, over-the-counter or other recreational drugs. All information will be kept confidential and shared only with the medicine man for consultation and advice. Specifically, the following should be avoided for a minimum of 2 weeks:
I. Any medicine containing MAO inhibitors (neural enzyme monoamine oxidase) or SSRI's, i.e. antidepressants such as Prozac, Effexor, Zoloft, Wellbutrin, etc.
II. Sedatives, tranquilizers, antihistamines, narcotics, amphetamines, decongestants, allergy medications, cold medications, diet pills, asthma-inhalers, dopamine, carbamazipine, some antihypertensive medications, pseudoephedrine, and ephedrine.
III. Alcohol and Recreational Drugs.
Getting here:
Alya Retreat Center is located 1 kilometer south of san juanillo and then 1.5 kilometers to the east, on the Northern Pacific Coast of Costa Rica. for further information click here
Please feel free to contact us for queries and information:
